Anyone remember when the military discounts were announced?

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Specifically for the summer Med. cruises. Thanks!

 

[HallsofVA]

For the WBTA the discount became active the last full week of June, but wasn't announced on the website until the next week. So it was under the 90 day mark but slightly before the 74 day penalty date.

I would regularly search using the MTO booking code until I got it to work one day.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Thank you. We are hoping to do the June 18 Med. cruise with a military discount. I think we'll have to buy airfare and wait on the cruise reservations and then just bite the bullet if they don't put anything out. But here's hoping!

Worst case scenario if prices get too high I guess is we go to Spain for a couple of weeks

 

[Adsmama]

for the Aug 18 Med we booked a military rate on May 20.

 

[sinnika]

We were on the May 26th 10 night med cruise. I found the military rate on Feb 26th by putting in the MTO code and snagged a cat 4 for $3589 for the 4 of us before there was any advertising of the military rate anywhere for that cruise! The cat 4-6's were the same price for the military rate. We were already booked in a cat 12 with KSF for $2200 but we are so glad we got the veranda and military rate since it wound up being a full cruise.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Tough waiting. I guess we'll give it until two months out and then if no discount, we'll have to make a decision. Looks like around 3 months was the average this year.

Thanks, all, for the info. I can't wait until March...I'll be checking the site several times a day

 

[grits98]

Tough waiting. I guess we'll give it until two months out and then if no discount, we'll have to make a decision. Looks like around 3 months was the average this year.

Thanks, all, for the info. I can't wait until March...I'll be checking the site several times a day

Yup. We've always gotten our military discount about three months or so in advance of our cruise date.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

DH is in the military and he just came home yesterday with the news that the Med cruise was deeply discounted! I don't know where he got his info - I'll see if we can get it for you tonight. We couldn't use it as we are already cruising to Jamaica this Fall.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

DH is in the military and he just came home yesterday with the news that the Med cruise was deeply discounted! I don't know where he got his info - I'll see if we can get it for you tonight. We couldn't use it as we are already cruising to Jamaica this Fall.

The one for 2011? That would be awesome if he already knew that! Thanks!

 

[HallsofVA]

If you can cover the deposit (which is same regardless of military or regular rate), and you really want to go, you may want to go ahead and book, and then switch your reservation to the military rate if and when it's available. That way you have a space on the ship. My TA had said that the military rate was one of the few rates that DCL would still let you switch to even after the penalty date, though we were able to switch before that became an issue.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

If you can cover the deposit (which is same regardless of military or regular rate), and you really want to go, you may want to go ahead and book, and then switch your reservation to the military rate if and when it's available. That way you have a space on the ship. My TA had said that the military rate was one of the few rates that DCL would still let you switch to even after the penalty date, though we were able to switch before that became an issue.

If that's true then that would surely change up my strategy. I remember when all the military discounts were out this summer, for the Baltic in particular, and someone on here had said they switched their reservation and even with the penalty came out ahead. So I wonder if anyone has been able to do it for sure. If that was the case I would book this fall but I don't know if I feel comfortable with doing so w/o knowing for sure.

 

[Adsmama]

If that's true then that would surely change up my strategy. I remember when all the military discounts were out this summer, for the Baltic in particular, and someone on here had said they switched their reservation and even with the penalty came out ahead. So I wonder if anyone has been able to do it for sure. If that was the case I would book this fall but I don't know if I feel comfortable with doing so w/o knowing for sure.

The problem I can see with this strategy is that you are signed up for the cruise and for some reason it does not offer a military discount and then you are stuck with the cruise you can't really afford. Am I wrong?

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

The problem I can see with this strategy is that you are signed up for the cruise and for some reason it does not offer a military discount and then you are stuck with the cruise you can't really afford. Am I wrong?

I don't know yet What I do know is if they offer the same military discount as they did last year, then we are in. So I hear what you are saying and it probably would be smarter to just wait.

 

[HallsofVA]

The problem I can see with this strategy is that you are signed up for the cruise and for some reason it does not offer a military discount and then you are stuck with the cruise you can't really afford. Am I wrong?

I don't know yet What I do know is if they offer the same military discount as they did last year, then we are in. So I hear what you are saying and it probably would be smarter to just wait.

At one point, I think the OP said that they were going to go ahead and buy airfare, with the potential that they end up with a week in spain if they can't get on the cruise at a good price. Because you can cancel all the way up to the start of the penalty phase, and this year DCL released the military rates before the penalty phase started, you have time to cancel still if they don't release the rates you want to pay. (If needed you could cancel before the PIF date.) But your room choices and categories may be better now than they will be before the penalty phase, so your chances of being able to book a lower price category is better now than it will be if you wait until later.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

The one for 2011? That would be awesome if he already knew that! Thanks!

Sorry, he said it was for this Fall.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

Sorry, he said it was for this Fall.

Awww, too bad, I was hoping he had some inside scoop the rest of us weren't in on Thanks anyway!

 

[zoom8942]

we had done a 3 day in june 09 and was able to switch to the military rate quite easily, but it was before the 90 day mark. doing a 5 day in 2011 already have it booked, hoping to get another discount. We would definately upgrade rooms.

 

[sinnika]

At one point, I think the OP said that they were going to go ahead and buy airfare, with the potential that they end up with a week in spain if they can't get on the cruise at a good price. Because you can cancel all the way up to the start of the penalty phase, and this year DCL released the military rates before the penalty phase started, you have time to cancel still if they don't release the rates you want to pay. (If needed you could cancel before the PIF date.) But your room choices and categories may be better now than they will be before the penalty phase, so your chances of being able to book a lower price category is better now than it will be if you wait until later.

The military rate for the May 26th cruise was not offered until after the PIF date which was I believe 120 days prior to sail (some time in Jan). We were already PIF for a cat 12 KSF for $2200 when we switched to the military rate for the cat 4 for $3500, so we just paid the $1300 difference when we switched. This cruise date was at or near the end of many US school year dates. There were 1200 kids on board with 2400 passengers I believe. The May 15th cruise had 200 kids, just for comparison. So a June sailing date may impact if and when the military rates are offered depending on how quickly the cruise fills since US schools will be out. Spain is an absoulutely beautiful country to visit and a 1 or 2 week vacation there would be a delight. Maybe consider flying into Madrid, and traveling by train to the major cities - Barcelona, Sevilla, Toledo, Granada. Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[makaylee]

We just did the Med cruise in Aug with the military discount, we loved it so much we want to do it again next summer. We didn't book the cruise until june 13 and i'm not sure when the discount became available.

I was just wondering if any other military families out there know when their Med discounts became available. I want to go so badly, but we can't afford it without the discount. I am hoping we don't have to wait until the last minute to find out if we can go. Can you tell me when yours became available?

Thanks

 

[jilljill]

We just did the Med cruise in Aug with the military discount, we loved it so much we want to do it again next summer. We didn't book the cruise until june 13 and i'm not sure when the discount became available.

I was just wondering if any other military families out there know when their Med discounts became available. I want to go so badly, but we can't afford it without the discount. I am hoping we don't have to wait until the last minute to find out if we can go. Can you tell me when yours became available?

Thanks

I'm merging this thread with a thread on the same subject from last week. You should find your answer in that thread.